ARDCO’s new articulating multi-purpose truck

Published 16/5 at 13:06

In the US ARDCO has announced the next generation Articulating Multi-Purpose Truck specifically built for off-road travel, featuring a modular platform that offers the flexibility to customize the vehicle for a variety of projects.

It has been designed to accept a wide array of standard and customizable attachments. Available configurations include a bare chassis, flatbed, water tank, fuel tank, dump bed, service and lube station, utility bed, personnel carrier, pipe trailer, drill, and custom solutions. Users can easily change attachments, while rental companies can serve a variety of customer applications with a single machine. Multiple tyre choices help further configure the machine for various working conditions.

The AMT 600 is powered by an 186kW Cummins QSB6.7 Tier 4 Final diesel engine, with selectable four or six wheel drive and payload of 20t. The smaller AMT 400 model has a 150kW Cummins Tier 4 engine, with two or four wheel drive, and payload of 12.7t. Top travel speed for both models is 37km/h.

The AMT has a fully enclosed, all-weather ROPS cab that is sound rated to 68 dB(A) suitable for two people. A 175mm display is incorporated in the steering column, providing digital gauges with onboard diagnostics, digital manual access, and an optional backup camera display. A streamlined front-end angle offers the driver panoramic visibility.

The AMT has centre pivot trunnion with approximately 20° of oscillation, which allows all the tyres to maintain ground contact and traction while travelling over rough terrain. Dual hydraulic cylinders provide 37° of steering each way. The articulation allows the tyres to slide left or right in wet and muddy terrain and gain traction instead of spinning in one place and digging a rut.

Both models include a Dana six speed powershift transmission with twist grip shifter. The AMT 600 has AxleTech rigid planetary axles with driver controlled differential lock, while the AMT 400 has Dana rigid planetary axles with automatic limited slip differentials, front and rear.